The Execution Bait-and-Switch: Iran's Domestic Coercion Tactic
FIRST INSTANCE: The Purge of the 1980s The systematic use of judicial threats, including capital punishment, against political dissidents gained prominence following the 1979 revolution. The 1988 prison massacres, though often associated with direct execution, were preceded by waves of arrests, interrogations, and summary trials where vague charges like 'enmity against God' (moharebeh) were
applied. Amnesty International documented that thousands were executed in conditions that often lacked due process (Amnesty International, 1990). This period established the legal framework and precedent for employing the death penalty as a tool for political suppression. REPETITIONS: Cycles of Repression and 'Bail' This playbook resurfaced with notable regularity during subsequent periods of
significant unrest. During the 2009 Green Movement, numerous individuals faced 'moharebeh' charges, with at least 80 protesters reported to have been sentenced to death (Human Rights Watch, 2010). Some were released on substantial bail payments, often after international condemnation. This created a cycle: arrest, severe charge, international outcry, and then a calibrated 'concession' of bail or a
commuted sentence, effectively monetizing political dissent and signaling state control over individual liberties. Similarly, following the 2017-2018 protests, dozens faced capital charges. While some death sentences were carried out, others were, again, held under threat of execution before eventually being released on what Human Rights Watch termed 'exorbitant' bail amounts (Human Rights Watch,